Catherine J. Golden, professor of English at Skidmore College, in her essay "Late-Twentieth-Century Readers in Search of a Dickensian Heroine: Angels, Fallen Sisters, and Eccentric Women" (2000), suggests that Charles Dickens intended Madame Defarge to contrast Lucie Manette in that they both lost their families, but Lucie chooses love and compassion to lead her life while Madame Defarge chooses to let hatred and vengeance lead her life's decisions in A Tale of Two Cities. Because of her life decisions, Madame Defarge is a “harsh and brooding woman” (Golden). Golden supports this contrast in characters by using Defarge's words and actions towards Lucie and others close to her to highlight the cruelty and hatred that fills Madame Defarge. Her purpose is to show readers how Lucie’s loving nature leads to success and happiness; however, Madame Defarge’s hate and brutality lead to “a brutal death” (Golden) and chaos. Defarge’s hatred leads to her demise and downfall. Golden compares the character of Madame Defarge with Rosa Dartle of David Copperfield. Defarge is a “monstrous” (Golden) person when she talks with Lucie because Defarge has her sights set on killing her at whatever the cost. I concur with all of Golden’s claims in her essay. It is clear what Dickens is trying to do with Lucie Manette and Madame Defarge. Both of the characters lost their entire family to the nobility, but they chose different paths to lead their lives. Lucie chose forgiveness and love but Defarge chose to lead her life filled with anger and cruelty. Defarge let her lust for vengeance blinds her from seeing her “fearful and deadly character” (Golden). I think Madame Defarge never truly understands how cruel she gets when she is in her element of killing. Golden’s argument is supported by a plethora of evidence from the novel that helps support her claims, and her argument is strong enough to convince me of her claims. Works Cited Golden, Catherine J. "Late-Twentieth-Century Readers in Search of a Dickensian Heroine: Angels, Fallen Sisters, and Eccentric Women." Modern Language Studies 30.2 (Fall 2000): 5-19. Rpt. in Children's Literature Review. Ed. Allison Marion. Vol. 95. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Literature Resource Center. Web. 4 Feb. 2015.
Literary Criticism
Catherine J. Golden, professor of English at Skidmore College, in her essay "Late-Twentieth-Century Readers in Search of a Dickensian Heroine: Angels, Fallen Sisters, and Eccentric Women" (2000), suggests that Charles Dickens intended Madame Defarge to contrast Lucie Manette in that they both lost their families, but Lucie chooses love and compassion to lead her life while Madame Defarge chooses to let hatred and vengeance lead her life's decisions in A Tale of Two Cities. Because of her life decisions, Madame Defarge is a “harsh and brooding woman” (Golden). Golden supports this contrast in characters by using Defarge's words and actions towards Lucie and others close to her to highlight the cruelty and hatred that fills Madame Defarge. Her purpose is to show readers how Lucie’s loving nature leads to success and happiness; however, Madame Defarge’s hate and brutality lead to “a brutal death” (Golden) and chaos. Defarge’s hatred leads to her demise and downfall. Golden compares the character of Madame Defarge with Rosa Dartle of David Copperfield. Defarge is a “monstrous” (Golden) person when she talks with Lucie because Defarge has her sights set on killing her at whatever the cost.
I concur with all of Golden’s claims in her essay. It is clear what Dickens is trying to do with Lucie Manette and Madame Defarge. Both of the characters lost their entire family to the nobility, but they chose different paths to lead their lives. Lucie chose forgiveness and love but Defarge chose to lead her life filled with anger and cruelty. Defarge let her lust for vengeance blinds her from seeing her “fearful and deadly character” (Golden). I think Madame Defarge never truly understands how cruel she gets when she is in her element of killing. Golden’s argument is supported by a plethora of evidence from the novel that helps support her claims, and her argument is strong enough to convince me of her claims.
Works Cited
Golden, Catherine J. "Late-Twentieth-Century Readers in Search of a Dickensian Heroine: Angels, Fallen Sisters, and Eccentric Women." Modern Language Studies 30.2 (Fall 2000): 5-19. Rpt. in Children's Literature Review. Ed. Allison Marion. Vol. 95. Detroit: Gale, 2004. Literature Resource Center. Web. 4 Feb. 2015.